Walmart Canada is now sourcing beef from certified sustainable farms and ranches according to standards set by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB).
Additionally, the chain is sourcing enough beef from sustainable sources for its Your Fresh Market brand beef patties that it has been granted permission to include a sustainability certification label on each package.
Walmart is the first grocery retailer in Canada to achieve the milestone of offering an on-pack certified sustainable claim on a line of beef products.
The brand says the certification demonstrates Walmart’s commitment and contribution to supporting sustainable beef practices across five principles: Natural Resources, People and Community, Animal Health and Welfare, Food, and Efficiency & Innovation, verified through third-party certification.
Walmart’s efforts to help expand the CRSB’s program in Canada include a focus on engaging in dialogue with industry and supply chain partners to create and advocate for continually better industry standards. This collaboration supports the industry through sharing and aligning on best practices, course correcting where needed, and continued evolution to meet goals for suppliers and the environment.
“Walmart is committed to being a regenerative company – one that works to restore, renew and replenish our planet. Offering this new line of beef patties with sustainability certification is part of our journey and a proud moment for our entire team,” said Horacio Barbeito, President and CEO, Walmart Canada. “Our ongoing partnership with the CRSB helps drive the shared goal of advancing sustainability within the Canadian beef industry. Each of us can take pride in knowing that our collective actions support global sustainability commitments.”
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Walmart Canada sources 100 per cent of its beef in Canada and describes itself as a proud supporter of the Canadian beef industry. Canadian beef producers manage and help preserve 35 million acres of native grasslands in Canada. Grazing cattle here contributes to preserving critical habitat for wildlife and birds, including over 60 species at risk. The new CRSB claim represents an opportunity for a whole-system transformation and continued progress across the beef supply chain.
The ongoing partnership with the CRSB is also an important part of Walmart Canada’s continued commitment to focus on sustainability in its sourcing decisions both globally and domestically. It also builds on the pledge to source key commodities more sustainably – for example, with seafood and pulp and paper.
“Walmart Canada has been a strong partner on our sustainability journey. We’re delighted that they are now showcasing the CRSB Certified label in Walmart stores across the country. The label will help Canadians understand the sustainable practices that are used and how their food is raised, so that they can better understand how that contributes to a sustainable food system. We want all Canadians to feel confident that in choosing CRSB-certified products, they are making the right choices for themselves and their families, and for our planet, while also supporting farmers and ranchers across Canada,” said Anne Wasko, Chair of the CRSB and rancher from Eastend, SK.
About CRSB
Established in 2014, the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) is a collaborative, multi-stakeholder organization focused on advancing environmental, social and economic sustainability in the Canadian beef industry. The CRSB drives recognition and continuous progress in beef sustainability through benchmarking and setting strategic goals, and communicating on-the-ground continuous improvement.
The CRSB’s Certified Sustainable Beef Framework, known as CRSB Certified, was developed to recognize sustainable practices through third-party certification, support sustainable commitments for retail and foodservice companies, and build consumer trust through credible, science-based claims about sustainable beef production in Canada. Learn more at crsb.ca. Learn more about the positive contribution of Canadian beef production, and how farmers and ranchers conserve healthy ecosystems and support critical wildlife habitat at beeffortheplanet.ca.
